Sporting Life Arkle report, replay and reaction: El Fabiolo brilliant winner
El Fabiolo ended up being the brilliant winner of the Sporting Life Arkle.
Dysart Dyamo performed well with a brave front runner and was still at the front of the homebound journey.
However, 11/10 winner and main rival Jonbon was soon aside and the winner was clear as the long-time leader suffered a tired crash lately.
Jonbon had to chase his rival home but was growing five and a half lengths from the finish line while Saint Roi (11/1), a stablemate of the winner, moved up to third place.
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Mullins target 2024 Champion Chase
Winning trainer Willie Mullins said: “He traveled all the way as well as I had hoped. Paul said he hit a flat spot on his back, but then when he picked him up it came alive underneath him. I didn’t see the finish because I was trying to watch our other horse who fell but luckily he’s fine.
“It’s good to get on the board early in the day. It was a bit disconcerting at the end, but I figured since everything was fine, it looked like he had enough reserves at that point. He has a habit of brushing through the top of his fences, but we don’t practice that! Like many French horses, he is able to find a fifth leg because of the training they receive early in their careers.
“I don’t plan on improving him in the trip yet, I always think when a horse is comfortable two miles it’s easier to train and stay healthy, so I hope next year he’s a Champion Chase horse becomes.”
Townend added: “I was almost afraid that Danny (Mullins, at Dysart Dynamo) was going to get a little freebie at some point and Danny is very dangerous up front. At the same time, Dysart is happy to keep going and hasn’t made it easy for Danny.
“The ground is being tested and it takes a bit of patience. I was a little idle when left alone, but when I wanted him to race, he came alive to me. He’s not the most natural jumper at every obstacle, but he knows where his feet are and he gets away with it.
“He was brave to go inside two outside and there wasn’t much there at the end but he found his feet back again and galloped to the top of that hill on the ground which is a good sign.”
The Jonbon team blames the ground
Nicky Henderson felt the Cheltenham ground had gone slightly against Jonbon.
He said: “I’ve always said and felt he’d be better on better ground – he gallops like that. He didn’t do anything wrong. He came to crack it. We’ve been following Dysart Dynamo and I’m happy to see he’s doing well, which is important. We got him, but the other one did the same to us.”
Asked if Jonbon is likely to compete on the trip now, the manager added: “Definitely. I think he would go as far as you want on good ground. We’ll definitely check out Aintree. I don’t think you would go to three miles, but you would definitely go to two and a half. Aintree is the only place where you should climb every half mile. If all goes well the others will stay in Ireland and we will go to Aintree.”
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